title: Brief research report: sociodemographic factors associated with HIV status among African American women in Washington, DC.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  African American women living in Washington, DC have one of the highest Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) incidence rates in the US. However, this population has been understudied, especially as it relates to factors associated with HIV status.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study examined sociodemographic factors that were associated with having a negative or positive HIV status among a sample of 115 African American women between the ages of 24 and 44 years. We assessed such factors as age, education, sexual orientation, household income, sources of income, number of children, length of residency tenure in Washington, DC, and level of HIV-prevention knowledge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the overall sample, 53 women self-identified as HIV-positive and 62 as HIV-negative. Compared to their HIV-negative counterparts, women who reported being HIV-positive were less educated, had lower household income, and had longer residency tenure in Washington, DC. There were no differences in HIV knowledge between HIV-positive and -negative study participants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings may provide important directions for targeting specific subpopulations of African Americans for HIV-prevention/intervention programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, Bowie State University, Bowie, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Emory L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: Dexter R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Voisin
authors.forename: Kesslyn A Brade
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Stennis
keywords: African American women; HIV status; sociodemographic factors